Infant mortality rate by sex in United States
United States: Infant mortality rate by sex was 0.5031 deaths per 100 live births in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Infant mortality rate by sex in United States, 1950–2024
Source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100 live births.
Analysis
United States recorded 0.5031 deaths per 100 live births for infant mortality rate by sex in 2024.
The figure is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 5.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality rate by sex in United States peaked at 2.81 deaths per 100 live births in 1950 and was at its lowest, 0.5007 deaths per 100 live births, in 2019.
United States ranks 147th of 199 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Infant mortality rate by sex in United States, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 2.81 deaths per 100 live births | — |
| 1951 | 2.73 deaths per 100 live births | -2.8% |
| 1952 | 2.67 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 1953 | 2.59 deaths per 100 live births | -3.0% |
| 1954 | 2.53 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 1955 | 2.47 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 1956 | 2.41 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 1957 | 2.38 deaths per 100 live births | -1.4% |
| 1958 | 2.35 deaths per 100 live births | -1.3% |
| 1959 | 2.29 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 1960 | 2.24 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 1961 | 2.21 deaths per 100 live births | -1.4% |
| 1962 | 2.16 deaths per 100 live births | -2.3% |
| 1963 | 2.12 deaths per 100 live births | -2.0% |
| 1964 | 2.08 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 1965 | 2.03 deaths per 100 live births | -2.4% |
| 1966 | 1.98 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 1967 | 1.92 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 1968 | 1.86 deaths per 100 live births | -3.4% |
| 1969 | 1.8 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
| 1970 | 1.74 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
| 1971 | 1.67 deaths per 100 live births | -4.1% |
| 1972 | 1.59 deaths per 100 live births | -4.4% |
| 1973 | 1.53 deaths per 100 live births | -4.2% |
| 1974 | 1.46 deaths per 100 live births | -4.1% |
| 1975 | 1.4 deaths per 100 live births | -4.1% |
| 1976 | 1.34 deaths per 100 live births | -4.3% |
| 1977 | 1.27 deaths per 100 live births | -5.2% |
| 1978 | 1.22 deaths per 100 live births | -4.3% |
| 1979 | 1.16 deaths per 100 live births | -4.5% |
| 1980 | 1.12 deaths per 100 live births | -4.1% |
| 1981 | 1.07 deaths per 100 live births | -3.8% |
| 1982 | 1.03 deaths per 100 live births | -4.0% |
| 1983 | 0.9992 deaths per 100 live births | -3.1% |
| 1984 | 0.9679 deaths per 100 live births | -3.1% |
| 1985 | 0.9328 deaths per 100 live births | -3.6% |
| 1986 | 0.9137 deaths per 100 live births | -2.0% |
| 1987 | 0.8983 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 1988 | 0.8815 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 1989 | 0.8599 deaths per 100 live births | -2.4% |
| 1990 | 0.8292 deaths per 100 live births | -3.6% |
| 1991 | 0.8009 deaths per 100 live births | -3.4% |
| 1992 | 0.7788 deaths per 100 live births | -2.8% |
| 1993 | 0.7544 deaths per 100 live births | -3.1% |
| 1994 | 0.7327 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 1995 | 0.7107 deaths per 100 live births | -3.0% |
| 1996 | 0.6913 deaths per 100 live births | -2.7% |
| 1997 | 0.6733 deaths per 100 live births | -2.6% |
| 1998 | 0.6641 deaths per 100 live births | -1.4% |
| 1999 | 0.6511 deaths per 100 live births | -2.0% |
| 2000 | 0.641 deaths per 100 live births | -1.5% |
| 2001 | 0.6321 deaths per 100 live births | -1.4% |
| 2002 | 0.6243 deaths per 100 live births | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 0.6146 deaths per 100 live births | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 0.6112 deaths per 100 live births | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 0.6061 deaths per 100 live births | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 0.6013 deaths per 100 live births | -0.8% |
| 2007 | 0.5936 deaths per 100 live births | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 0.5854 deaths per 100 live births | -1.4% |
| 2009 | 0.5724 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 2010 | 0.5639 deaths per 100 live births | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 0.5552 deaths per 100 live births | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 0.5455 deaths per 100 live births | -1.8% |
| 2013 | 0.5358 deaths per 100 live births | -1.8% |
| 2014 | 0.5306 deaths per 100 live births | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 0.5242 deaths per 100 live births | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 0.5169 deaths per 100 live births | -1.4% |
| 2017 | 0.5092 deaths per 100 live births | -1.5% |
| 2018 | 0.5025 deaths per 100 live births | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 0.5007 deaths per 100 live births | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 0.5013 deaths per 100 live births | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 0.504 deaths per 100 live births | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 0.5032 deaths per 100 live births | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 0.5042 deaths per 100 live births | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 0.5031 deaths per 100 live births | -0.2% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 0.5031 deaths per 100 live births is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.3234 deaths per 100 live births, 1.6× the median. (65 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2.52 deaths per 100 live births | 2.29 deaths per 100 live births | 2.81 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.04 deaths per 100 live births | 1.8 deaths per 100 live births | 2.24 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.44 deaths per 100 live births | 1.16 deaths per 100 live births | 1.74 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.9676 deaths per 100 live births | 0.8599 deaths per 100 live births | 1.12 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.7286 deaths per 100 live births | 0.6511 deaths per 100 live births | 0.8292 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.6082 deaths per 100 live births | 0.5724 deaths per 100 live births | 0.641 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.5284 deaths per 100 live births | 0.5007 deaths per 100 live births | 0.5639 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.5032 deaths per 100 live births | 0.5013 deaths per 100 live births | 0.5042 deaths per 100 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 144 Chile 0.5355 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 145 Anguilla 0.5295 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 146 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.504 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 148 Slovak Republic 0.4719 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 149 Sri Lanka 0.4591 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 150 Qatar 0.4561 deaths per 100 live births compare
More health data for United States
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.67 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.1867 % change on previous year (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 4,015 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2023)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.056 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0261 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.1919 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0274 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is infant mortality rate by sex in United States?
- Infant mortality rate by sex in United States was 0.5031 deaths per 100 live births in 2024, according to United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest infant mortality rate by sex recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 2.81 deaths per 100 live births in 1950.
- What is the lowest infant mortality rate by sex recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.5007 deaths per 100 live births in 2019.
- How does United States rank for infant mortality rate by sex?
- United States ranks 147th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is infant mortality rate by sex rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Infant mortality rate by sex. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated number of deaths of female children aged under one year, per 100 live births .